Sports
Messi cracks 900-career-goal barrier, joins Ronaldo in elite ranks
Lionel Messi reached yet another frontier of football greatness on Wednesday night, but the milestone came wrapped in disappointment as Inter Miami CF were eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions Cup by Nashville SC.
The moment itself was unmistakably Messi. Seven minutes into the second leg, he received a pass in a congested penalty area, cushioned it with his left foot, pivoted in one fluid motion and sent a skidding drive through a forest of legs into the far corner.
The ball barely rose off the turf, threading a path only he seemed to see. It was his 900th career goal, delivered with the same economy of movement and surgical precision that has defined his game since his teenage breakthrough.
The assist came from Sergio Reguilon, but the sequence carried Messi’s imprint from start to finish.
His body shape opened the angle before defenders could react, his balance held under pressure, and his finish was delayed just enough to wrong-foot the goalkeeper.
It was not power, but timing and geometry, a reminder that even after two decades, Messi’s genius lies in solving tight spaces others cannot read.
Reaching 900 places him in exclusive territory alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, the only other player to surpass that figure in official men’s football.
The comparison between the two greats sharpens with each milestone. Messi reached the mark in fewer appearances, doing so at 38, months shy of turning 39, while Ronaldo hit 900 at 39 after roughly 100 more matches.
Ronaldo remains the all-time leader in total goals, but Messi’s efficiency and sustained output continue to close the gap, even outside Europe’s traditional power leagues.
The achievement also reframes historical debates. Pele was long credited with totals exceeding 1,000 goals, though those figures include exhibitions and unofficial matches.
In the modern era, where every competitive fixture is documented and scrutinized, Messi’s 900 stands as one of the clearest, most verifiable measures of elite consistency across club and international football.
Yet the match itself told a different story. Inter Miami, energized by the early breakthrough, controlled phases of the game but failed to extend their advantage.
Nashville remained composed, absorbing pressure and waiting for moments. That patience paid off in the 74th minute when Cristian Espinoza capitalized on a loose sequence inside the box, forcing the ball home from close range after a scramble.
With the first leg ending 0-0, the 1-1 result sent Nashville through on away goals, abruptly silencing the sense of occasion at Chase Stadium. Messi’s milestone, which might have crowned a celebratory night, instead became a footnote to elimination.
Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan acknowledged the scale of the achievement with understated respect, calling Messi the best. For Messi, the reaction was more revealing than the words around him.
There was no extended celebration, no lingering acknowledgment of the crowd. His focus remained fixed on the result, a reflection of a career shaped as much by relentless competitiveness as by technical brilliance.
That duality defines his legacy. More than 670 of his goals came during his near two-decade spell at FC Barcelona, where he redefined attacking play with a blend of creativity and scoring instinct rarely seen before or since.
His time at Paris Saint-Germain added another layer of success, while his international journey culminated in 115 goals and the crowning achievement of the 2022 World Cup with Argentina national team.
Since arriving in Miami in 2023, Messi has extended that influence across a new landscape.
He has delivered goals, assists and silverware, lifting MLS’s global profile and transforming Inter Miami into one of the most followed clubs in the sport.
His production has remained elite, his impact immediate, and his presence commercially transformative, with record shirt sales and global attention following his every move.
Individually, his resume remains unmatched. Eight Ballon d’Or awards, multiple FIFA and UEFA honors and a record 47 major trophies for club and country place him at the summit of the modern game. Yet numbers alone do not capture the consistency behind them. Messi has scored across eras, systems and teammates, adapting his role while maintaining output, evolving from a winger reliant on acceleration to a playmaker-finisher dictating tempo and space.
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano has often pointed to that adaptability as Messi’s defining trait, noting that he resolves uncertainty simply by being on the pitch.
Even in this defeat, that truth held. Every attacking movement flowed through him, every dangerous moment carried his involvement.
Looking ahead, the timing of the milestone adds another layer. With the 2026 World Cup approaching across North America, Messi is expected to feature once more for Argentina, extending a career that continues to resist decline.
His contract with Inter Miami runs through 2028, ensuring that this latest chapter is not a closing act but an ongoing pursuit.
The president of African football’s governing body defended the organization’s integrity and impartiality after Senegal’s government called for an international probe into “suspected corruption” following the stripping of the country’s Africa Cup of Nations title.
Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football, addressed the controversy Wednesday, explaining the ruling by CAF’s appeals board that reversed Senegal’s 1-0 extra-time victory in the January final. The board awarded a 3-0 default win to host nation Morocco after Senegal walked off the field.
“The CAF disciplinary board made one decision. The CAF appeals board reached a completely different conclusion. I’m told Senegal intends to appeal, which is very important,” Motsepe said in a video posted on CAF’s website. “We will adhere to and respect the decision taken at the highest level.”
Motsepe emphasized that members of both the disciplinary and appeals boards are selected from lists submitted by each of CAF’s 54 member associations.
“If you look at the composition of those bodies, they reflect some of the most respected lawyers and judges on the continent,” he said. “These are people who have integrity and have a track record. The independence is reflected by the decisions that were taken by the two bodies.”
In January, CAF’s disciplinary board imposed fines totaling more than $1 million against the Senegalese and Moroccan federations. It issued suspensions against the Senegal coach and several players but did not interfere with the outcome of the final.
CAF’s appeals board on Tuesday ruled that Senegal forfeited the Jan. 18 final by leaving the field of play without the referee’s authorization, and that Morocco should be awarded a 3-0 win.
Most of the Senegal team left the field for nearly 10 minutes while Senegal fans clashed with stewards behind one of the goals in protest of a controversial penalty awarded to Morocco after Senegal had a goal ruled out. The players returned, Morocco missed the penalty, and Senegal scored in extra time to win the match.
“What happened in that final match undermines the good work CAF has done over many years to ensure integrity, respect, ethics, governance, and credibility in the results of our football matches,” Motsepe said. He added that the incidents in the final exposed CAF’s ongoing efforts to address suspicion and distrust.
“It’s a legacy issue. When I became president, one of the major concerns was the impartiality, independence, and respect of referees and match commissioners, and a lot of good work has been done,” he said. “The fact that there continue to be suspicions is because it’s a legacy issue. It’s something that has been there for many years, and we consistently deal with it because it’s critically important.”
The Senegalese football federation said it will appeal Tuesday’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the Senegalese government criticized what it called a “manifestly erroneous interpretation of the regulations, leading to a grossly illegal and deeply unjust decision.”
Motsepe defended CAF against perceptions of favoritism toward Morocco, which is a 2030 World Cup co-host and has invested heavily to become a football superpower.
“Not a single country in Africa will be treated in a manner that is more preferential, advantageous, or favorable than any other country on the continent,” Motsepe said. “We take what happened at the final match in Morocco very seriously.”
He added that CAF had already taken steps to address deficiencies.
“We have very high standards that we set for ourselves. It is important that ordinary football supporters and spectators in every one of the 54 countries in Africa, in their judgment, not CAF’s judgment, not my judgment, regard the decisions of our judicial bodies as fair,” Motsepe said.
The Iranian national team is pressing ahead with preparations for the World Cup finals and has no plans to withdraw, even if they do not travel to the United States, football chief Mehdi Taj said Wednesday.
Iran was among the first teams to secure qualification, but their participation has been uncertain since tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S. escalated in late February.
The tournament runs June 11 to July 19 across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
Team Melli is set to play all three of its opening-round group matches in the U.S., but Taj said Monday that the Iranian Football Federation is negotiating with FIFA to relocate the games to Mexico.
Iran will play Nigeria on March 27 and Costa Rica four days later in Antalya as part of a four-nation invitational tournament that had to be moved from Jordan because of the conflict in the Middle East.
“The national team is holding a training camp in Türkiye, and we will also play two friendly matches there,” FFIRI President Taj told Fars News Agency Wednesday. “We will boycott America, but we will not boycott the World Cup.”
Taj was speaking as he welcomed the players from the women’s national team back to Iran at the border crossing from Türkiye after their protracted journey from Australia.
All of the delegation, who were in Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup, were offered asylum by the host nation because of fears for their safety in Iran. Seven accepted, but only two remained.
U.S. President Donald Trump had urged Australia to offer the players asylum and later said that while the Iranian men were welcome to play in the U.S., it might not be appropriate for their “life and safety.”
Trump later stressed that any threat to the players would not come from the United States, but Taj, a former member of Iran’s hardline Revolutionary Guard, used the president’s statement as grounds for demanding a venue switch.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday that her country would be open to hosting Iran’s World Cup matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt in June, but the final decision on any venue switch would rest with FIFA.
FIFA said it is in contact with FFIRI and “looks forward to all participating teams competing as per the match schedule announced on Dec. 6, 2025.”
Beau Busch, Asia-Pacific president of the football players’ union FIFPRO, said FIFA has a duty to ensure the safety of everyone involved at the World Cup.
“FIFA has an institutional responsibility to protect human rights,” the Australian told Reuters. “What’s critical is that FIFA undertake a really comprehensive human rights impact assessment and ensure that every single participant at the World Cup, every player, every fan, can be safe, and that any risks are identified and mitigated effectively.”
Samsunspor stand on the brink of a defining European night, but the path ahead in Madrid looks unforgiving.
The Turkish side travel to face Rayo Vallecano at Estadio de Vallecas on Thursday with a 3-1 deficit hanging over them after a punishing first leg in Samsun.
It is a margin that leaves little room for error and even less for hesitation.
The opening encounter on March 12 offered a sharp lesson in efficiency.
Rayo struck early through Alemao, set up by the ever-influential Isi Palazon, before Marius Mouandilmadji briefly restored parity with a composed finish.
Yet the visitors’ response was ruthless. Alvaro Garcia regained the lead before halftime, and Alemao’s second, driven in midway through the second half, turned control into command.
For Samsunspor, the numbers told a familiar story. Decent possession, limited incision, and costly lapses at the back. For Rayo, it was a display built on timing, precision and a cutting edge that rarely dulls at home.
Now the equation is simple and severe. Samsunspor must win by at least two goals to force extra time or by three to advance outright. Anything less ends a campaign that has already rewritten the club’s European history.
That journey to the round of 16 has been one of quiet milestones. Samsunspor navigated the league phase with maturity, posting three wins, a draw and two defeats to reach the knockouts for the first time. Along the way came commanding moments, including a 4-0 aggregate dismissal of Shkëndija and competitive outings against seasoned sides like Mainz and AEK Athens.
Yet this tie has exposed the gap that still exists at this level. Rayo, fifth in the league phase and armed with one of the competition’s most productive attacks, have blended La Liga experience with European composure. Their 13 goals in the group stage underlined that threat, and last week only reinforced it.
Isi Palazon, who delivered two assists in the first leg, continues to orchestrate with clarity and intent, while Alemao’s brace in Türkiye underlined a forward line capable of punishing even brief defensive lapses. At Vallecas, where Rayo have won all three of their Conference League home games this season, that threat tends to grow sharper.
Coach Iñigo Pérez is expected to restore several regular starters after rotating heavily in a recent league draw, with only minor injury concerns disrupting his plans. The hosts arrive balanced, confident and within touching distance of the quarter-finals.
Samsunspor, guided by Thorsten Fink, will need something closer to perfection. Their attack offers hope. Mouandilmadji has been prolific in Europe with eight goals and two assists, and the side showed resilience with a weekend win over Kayserispor that snapped a losing run.
But the absences of captain Olivier Ntcham, along with injuries to Bedirhan Cetin, Afonso Sousa and Jaures Assoumou, leave the squad stretched at a moment that demands depth as much as belief.
History offers only a flicker of encouragement. Just once has a team overturned a 3-1 first-leg deficit in this competition, when Olympiacos stunned Maccabi Tel Aviv last season. Samsunspor now chase a similar script, but on foreign ground and against a side that rarely loses control at home.
Three-time World Superbike champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu returns to action this weekend, lining up for the second round of his rookie MotoGP World Championship season at Brazil’s long-awaited Grand Prix.
The Turkish rider, stepping into MotoGP as the first from his country to reach the premier class, continues his transition from WorldSBK dominance to prototype racing with growing confidence.
After securing three Superbike crowns, including a commanding 2025 title, Razgatlıoğlu made the leap to the factory-supported Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP squad, reuniting with Yamaha Motor Company machinery and partnering veteran Jack Miller.
Now racing with the number 7 and backed by Red Bull, Razgatlıoğlu has brought his signature late-braking aggression and flair to the grid.
His debut outing at the Thai Grand Prix showed flashes of promise, holding his own against seasoned rivals while adapting to Michelin tyres, carbon brakes, and the sharper demands of MotoGP bikes.
Brazil offers the next test.
The championship returns to the historic Autódromo Internacional de Goiania – Ayrton Senna, a 3.835-kilometer circuit named after Brazilian icon Ayrton Senna.
With 12 corners and a mix of fast straights and flowing sections, the track rewards precision and bravery, two traits that define Razgatlıoğlu’s riding style.
The event also marks MotoGP’s return to Brazil after more than two decades, adding extra energy to an already charged weekend.
The schedule unfolds across three days. Track action begins Friday with free practice, followed by a decisive longer session that shapes qualifying positions.
Saturday brings final practice, qualifying, and the sprint race, where early points are on offer. Sunday builds to the main Grand Prix, a 31-lap battle that will test endurance, strategy, and racecraft.
For Razgatlıoğlu, expectations remain measured but optimistic.
The focus is on consistency, data gathering, and pushing toward regular top-10 finishes as he sharpens his understanding of the Yamaha package ahead of future regulation changes.
Each lap in Goiania is another step in a steep learning curve, but one he appears increasingly equipped to climb.
Senegal said it will appeal after being sensationally stripped of its Africa Cup of Nations title Tuesday, with the Confederation of African Football instead awarding the crown to Morocco two months after a chaotic final.
The controversy stems from the Jan. 18 showdown in Rabat, where several Senegal players walked off in protest after the hosts were awarded a late stoppage-time penalty.
Captain Sadio Mane eventually led his teammates back onto the pitch. Morocco went on to miss the penalty, and Pape Gueye struck in extra time to seal what appeared to be a 1-0 win for Senegal.
But CAF ruled otherwise.
After reviewing Morocco’s appeal, the governing body declared that Senegal had forfeited the match, with the result officially recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
The CAF Appeals Committee justified its decision by applying Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, which state that if a team “refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorization of the referee, it shall be considered loser and shall be eliminated from the competition.”
The articles add that the team contravening the regulations “will lose its match 3-0.”
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation said in a statement its appeal “was never intended to contest the sporting performance of the teams participating in this competition, but solely to request the application of the competition regulations.”
“The federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, to the clarity of the competitive framework, and to the stability of African competitions,” the statement added.
Senegal’s football authorities said it will appeal “as soon as possible” to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable decision, which brings African football into disrepute,” it said in a statement.
Chaotic scenes
Minutes before the end of the match, some Senegal supporters attempted a pitch invasion, while Senegal’s players halted the game for nearly 20 minutes to protest the late penalty awarded to Morocco.
The controversial spot kick was awarded by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala at the end of the allotted eight minutes of added time following a VAR check for a challenge on Brahim Diaz by El Hadji Malick Diouf.
The game was goalless at the time, and Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with the penalty deep into stoppage time.
But Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted Panenka by the Real Madrid winger, who appeared distracted by the long delay following the decision.
The match at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium then went to extra time, and Gueye’s 94th-minute strike won it for Senegal.
Several of the team’s players posted on social media after the announcement that they had been stripped of the title.
Defender Moussa Niakhate, who plays for Lyon, posted a picture of himself lifting the trophy with the message “they’re mad,” in an apparent reference to CAF.
In the immediate aftermath of the final, FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned “some Senegal players” for the “unacceptable scenes.”
“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport. It is simply not right,” Infantino, who attended the match, said.
In late January, CAF imposed a series of disciplinary sanctions, including fines amounting to several hundred thousand euros, on the federations of both countries for unsportsmanlike conduct and violations of fair play principles.
The appeal trial of 18 Senegal supporters, imprisoned since the final and sentenced to prison terms ranging from three months to one year for hooliganism, which had been scheduled for Monday, has been postponed until March 30.
Barcelona host Newcastle United at Camp Nou on Wednesday with their Champions League last-16 tie delicately balanced, a contest shaped as much by late drama in the first leg as by the weight of history now leaning on both sides.
The 1-1 draw at St James’ Park was a study in tension and timing.
Harvey Barnes struck in the 86th minute to put Newcastle on the brink of a statement win, only for Lamine Yamal to rescue Barcelona deep into stoppage time with a 96th-minute penalty that shifted the emotional and tactical balance of the tie.
Head coach Hansi Flick was blunt in his assessment afterward, conceding his side fell short of their usual level.
The message since has been clear. Control the tempo, tighten the structure, and raise the intensity.
Barcelona’s recent European record suggests they often respond when it matters. They have progressed from 23 of 29 UEFA two-legged ties after drawing the first leg away, including 11 of 14 when that opener ended 1-1.
Their attacking reliability remains a cornerstone. Barcelona have failed to score in just one of their last 29 Champions League matches, a run built on fluid movement and wide creativity. Yet there is a vulnerability beneath it. They have not kept a clean sheet in their last 12 games in the competition, leaving the door open for opponents who can transition quickly and finish clinically.
At Camp Nou, the numbers are even more imposing. Barcelona have lost only two of 37 home matches against English sides in European competition, and they have not been beaten in such a fixture since a 2-1 loss to Liverpool in 2007. They have also won each of their last five Champions League round-of-16 ties against English opposition, reinforcing a sense of familiarity with nights like this.
Form adds another layer of confidence. A commanding 5-2 win over Sevilla at the weekend restored their four-point lead at the top of La Liga and sharpened belief in a potential treble. Raphinha’s hat-trick in that match offers Flick both momentum and a selection dilemma, especially with Marcus Rashford pushing for a recall after earlier success in this season’s meeting with Newcastle.
Yamal remains central to Barcelona’s attacking narrative. Still only 18, he is one goal away from matching Kylian Mbappé’s record for most Champions League goals before turning 19, underlining both his influence and the trust placed in him on the biggest stage.
Newcastle arrive without the same European pedigree but with growing belief under Eddie Howe. Their response to the first-leg setback was measured and effective, a 1-0 win away to Chelsea secured by Anthony Gordon. More significant than the result was the discipline behind it. The clean sheet ended a 14-game run without one and reflected the defensive structure Howe has been demanding.
Newcastle’s Champions League campaign has been quietly impressive. They have lost just two of 11 matches, showing resilience in both group and knockout settings. They have also handled second legs well in recent European ties, losing only once in their last 10. Still, history presents a clear obstacle. The club has never advanced beyond the last 16, and away trips to Spain have often exposed their limits, with four defeats in their last five such matches.
Gordon’s role will be pivotal. He did not start the first leg but is now expected to lead the line, carrying a return of 10 Champions League goals this season, second only to Mbappe. His pace and directness offer Newcastle a clear route to exploit Barcelona’s defensive gaps, particularly in transition.
Both sides are managing key absences. Barcelona remain without Frenkie de Jong, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde, while Andreas Christensen is also sidelined. Newcastle are missing Bruno Guimaraes, Fabian Schar and Emil Krafth, with Sandro Tonali facing a late fitness check.
Minister Güler’s statement about the Iran war: Türkiye continues its constructive efforts
TRNC leader backs Türkiye’s F-16 deployment, warns of Cyprus risks
Emphasis on “peace and stability” from Director of Communications Duran: We continue to stand tall
Minister Güler’s statement about the Iran war: Türkiye continues its constructive efforts
TRNC leader backs Türkiye’s F-16 deployment, warns of Cyprus risks
Emphasis on “peace and stability” from Director of Communications Duran: We continue to stand tall
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